Piero V. Montano, better known as Poeta, an up and coming Spanish rapper from New Jersey, blessed the world with his birth on August 25, 1984 in Ica, Peru. Along with his three sisters and half brother, Poeta was raised by his grandparents. His father left to the United States in search of work in 1986, followed by his mother who left three years later in 1989, both as immigrant workers. Poeta was exposed to the misery of his native country at an early age, where kidnapping, corruption and guerilla warfare were all very common visions of the Peruvian society during the 1980s and 1990s. In the winter of 1994, Poeta was finally given a green card: his ticket to the land of opportunity. Ever since, Poeta has called the United States his home, specifically New Jersey.
Poeta had always loved music. In 1997, however, he was introduced to reggaeton through the Playero 37 mix tape, where his heart fell in love with Spanish rap. It was different than anything he had ever heard before; unlike the works of Vico C or Big Boy, who were mainstream at the time. Poeta began collecting more CDs with similar sounds, such as DJ Playero La Industria and The Noise. It was difficult, though, because Spanish rap was still underground and trying to break into mainstream music. Latin Hip Hop was not distributed as easily throughout the U.S. as they were in Puerto Rico. Poeta's love and passion for this musical genre evolved and he soon began applying his poetry to the rhythms and beats he had grown to love.
In 2001 Poeta began rapping and people were noticeably impressed. His energy and flavor burst open doors of opportunity for him. Pleased with the feedback, he began to involve himself more with Latin Hip Hop and started writing and producing various songs. In 2003, Poeta's low-budget Demo reached the ears of an A&R representatives and it sparked interest, particularly because of the new Latin movement that was taking over the music industry with artists such as Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, Pitbull and Tego Calderon mainly Reggaeton Artist. The Label asked Poeta to record two songs. In the summer of 2003 he recorded "Praka" and "P.R.O.F.E.T.A. Praa." The label was unhappy with the lack of reggaeton in Poeta's style, since reggaeton was the focus of the industry at the time; they suggested he switch to sound more mainstream. Unwilling to give up his taste and spirit of Latin HiP HoP, he disagreed, and any deals with the label were never made.
Eager to continue his aspiring career, Poeta continued to write and record Latin Hip Hop music. So determined, he even founded his own record label, Verbal Skillz Records in 2003, with his partner and label-mate, Potencia. These two young and talented individuals are focused on reaching the top of the industry through their hard work, determination and unity. Their goal is to give the streets a chance to show that there is talent in the ghetto, not just corruption and poverty. Poeta soon recorded a couple of songs, creating a local buzz in New Jersey. Using the internet to tap into the Spanish underground community, he later captivated an underground radio station in January of 2006. The DJs from 88.7FM,"Club Melting Pot," (a North Jersey and New York independent radio station) were impressed and allowed Poeta to bless the airwaves with a few singles. He also appeared on a couple of mix tapes that year. In addition, he has opened up for the merengue group "Sabrosura" at Drama Night Club in Fairview, NJ. also for A.R.A.f.A. And has Performed at the infamous "Tropicals Nite Club". Today, Poeta is still in the works with many underground artists, preparing for upcoming collaborations and mix tape features, as well as magazine interviews and club Performances.
This Spanish rapper has a lot to offer the music industry. More than
just your typical rapper, he considers himself a street Poet rather than a mere reggaeton artist. He speaks of current events such as racism, political views, life, suffering, his neighborhood, and of course, the everyday struggles of reality. "It's not all about guns, flashing money, bitches and I'm more gansta then you. It's about how I live and how the people around me lives; if you think about it, 80% of the rap game is nothing but gimmicks; I'm the other 20%. Poeta is also known for his rapid and sometimes Slow, raw and edgy delivery on relentless, head-bopping tracks, he's also been acknowledge for his lyrical content on every track his drop. Only time will tell what the future holds for this rising prodigy, but one thing is for sure: Stay tuned because "the beginning of the end" is near.
